Windows Explorer Default Opening

This will show you how to set Windows Explorer to open to another location other than the default (your username) Documents folder.

How to Change Windows Explorer Default Open Location in Vista​

Information

This will show you how to set Windows Explorer to open to another location other than the default C:\Users\(your username)\Documents folder location. For more information on this, see: Microsoft Help and Support: KB130510

Note

This doesn't change the location for Computer in the Start Menu. You could also just create a shortcut from the Windows Explorer EXE location (%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe or C:\Windows\explorer.exe) and use it. Just right click on the exe file and click on Send To and Desktop (create shortcut), then move the shortcut to where you like.

Tip

Creating a shortcut to the desired location instead would be much easier to do if applicable.

EXAMPLE: Default Windows Explorer Target Open Location

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Here's How:

1. Open the Start Menu.​

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2. Click on All Programs. (At bottom)​

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3. Click on the Accessories folder to expand it.​

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4. Right click Windows Explorer and click on Properties.​

NOTE:If you do not have this shortcut for Explorer here, then you can create a new shortcut from: C:\Windows\explorer.exe.​

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5. In the Target: area, you would type the path below. (see screenshots below)​

NOTE:Substitute the [/n,] [options] [folder path] part of the path below with the path that you want to use instead in the NOTE and TIP boxes below.​

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe[/n,] [options] [folder path]​

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Note

See the Examplesections below.

Note

/n = Opens a new Windows Explorer window.

OPTIONS:

/root = Has only the selected folder and it's subfolders at the top in the folder tree.

/select = Has the folder's parent folder selected in the folder tree.

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EXAMPLE A

To Open to the C:\ Drive

A) You would type in the location below in the Target area. (See screenshots below)​

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Code:

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, c:\

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EXAMPLE B

To Open to the C:\ Drive as the Root in the Folder Tree

B) You would type in the location below in the Target area. (See screenshots below)​

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Code:

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, /root, c:\

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EXAMPLE C

To Open to a Specific Folder (Ex: Downloads Folder)

C) You would type in the location below in the Target area. (See screenshots below)​

NOTE:Instead of using the path c:\Users\(your username)\Downloads, you can use the full path of the folder you want to have opened instead after %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, /root,.​

Comments

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Works just great on the shortcut it's applied to. Right-click on the start circle and the entry "explore" is visible. That doesn't appear to be a shortcut to which this procedure can be applied. Mine opens in an unuseful place "C:\Users\Bob\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu"
How do I change that "explore" ?

I just can't seem to get this to work. I have followed all the steps. I want to set Windows Explorer to open to
C:\A-My Files.
I entered the string
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n, /root, c:\My Files.
But it still opens all the folders under c:\ and it still opens the "Users" folder.
This seems to be such a basic preference selection that I'm surpirsed Microsoft makes it so hard to do.
Thank you,
Bruce

Well, it's still opening C:\ and not A-My Files and is still opening the User file. But at this point I'm going to have to just live with it. It's mostly just an annoyance because it seems that Microsoft ought to make this so much simpler--I would think that this would be a very common preference choice for users and that it ought to be just part of the "View" drop down menu.

The one thing that I have learned is that for your explorer to open correctly, you must open it from where you set the target. Another words if you have a short-cut to explorer on your desktop and set it the way you want to open it, you need to start it from your desktop. It you go thru start, programs, etc it will not open the way you want it to, unless you set it the same way.